Inflight Service Changes Due to COVID-19
Mar 21, 2020, 8:25 am
#77
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 3,361
I really would like to know how alcohol transmits the virus, or pre-maid sandwiches or other processed foods individually wrapped items do the same. You can grab something from the lounge..but that something cannot be served on the plane. If they cannot serve booze..can I bring my own on board? I want people to be safe, I want to protect service workers such as the AS crews...but if this is the policy then AS should shutter the front cabin and have a flat fee for all flights.
Mar 21, 2020, 8:42 am
#78
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Seattle, WA
Programs: AS MVPG, 1MM
Posts: 377
do not disagree with you..but where does it stop? The food in the lounge is “handled” but that’s ok? Let’s close the lounges. I have always washed my hands, even more so now. The flight I took the other day I watched the first FA wash her hands, then glove more than I have seen surgeons do. If this is the way, fine, but if it is the same for a $32 saver fare as opposed to $800 fare for a bigger seat and a few more EQM...then heck, let’s move towards a cash value basis for miles (no). Regardless, I will still fly as there things I need to do, AS can go the next step and make a flat fee to fly.
Mar 21, 2020, 9:16 am
#79
Join Date: Apr 2003
Programs: B6 Mosaic, Bonvoy LT Titanium (x SPG LT), IHG Spire, UA Silver
Posts: 5,848
Seating people at least 6 feet apart would probably be a better safety measure.
Mar 21, 2020, 9:33 am
#80
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 3,361
do not disagree with you..but where does it stop? The food in the lounge is “handled” but that’s ok? Let’s close the lounges. I have always washed my hands, even more so now. The flight I took the other day I watched the first FA wash her hands, then glove more than I have seen surgeons do. If this is the way, fine, but if it is the same for a $32 saver fare as opposed to $800 fare for a bigger seat and a few more EQM...then heck, let’s move towards a cash value basis for miles (no). Regardless, I will still fly as there things I need to do, AS can go the next step and make a flat fee to fly.
Get real. This is 100% Alaska trying to save money. You think the ingredients in a packaged salad or a preprepared sandwich are manufactured in the heavens and have only been touched by a sterile robot until the time it gets to you? We all have to take minimal risks every day to survive. If you are charging a healthy premium for a product, you can figure out a way to safely serve food and drink. Otherwise just close off F seats for sale and become Spirit offering big front seats for the first few rows.
Seating people at least 6 feet apart would probably be a better safety measure.
Seating people at least 6 feet apart would probably be a better safety measure.
Mar 21, 2020, 9:37 am
#81
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: Over the Bay Bridge, CA
Programs: Jumbo mas
Posts: 38,644
Did it ever occur to anyone here that there may be issues with consistency in the supply chain? I don't just mean the food getting shipped to the airport kitchens. I mean the employees in the kitchens getting to work. I mean all the ramp workers that bring the food to the planes. Public transit is starting to get axed around the Bay Area - first BART, limiting hours. More is to come. Workers are home tending to children out of school. Some are going to test positive for COVID-19 or won''t be working, even at the slightest hint of a sniffle or "I swallowed wrong" cough. The curve of confirmed cases is going to skyrocket in the coming weeks.
Anyone displeased with the service reduction is now on notice and can bank the F ticket and rebook in Y on planes that are pretty empty, and if s/he has status, can get an upgrade back into the F seat.
Anyone displeased with the service reduction is now on notice and can bank the F ticket and rebook in Y on planes that are pretty empty, and if s/he has status, can get an upgrade back into the F seat.
Mar 21, 2020, 9:49 am
#82
Join Date: Apr 2003
Programs: B6 Mosaic, Bonvoy LT Titanium (x SPG LT), IHG Spire, UA Silver
Posts: 5,848
The fact remains that being honest with customers is really the best practice. They would be far better off saying we are going broke and have to save as much as we can to keep the airline going or the catering staff have all been laid off and we are no longer able to get any supplies. Cutting food and drink back could be due to supply chain issues--that would make far more sense. If it were about safety, then AS would not have been serving any food or drink since the beginning of the year. When you are encouraging people to take mileage runs during a pandemic and serving food and drink over the last few weeks and now today, you are saying it is safety issue, it comes across as very disingenuous.
Mar 21, 2020, 10:12 am
#83
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 3,361
The fact remains that being honest with customers is really the best practice. They would be far better off saying we are going broke and have to save as much as we can to keep the airline going or the catering staff have all been laid off and we are no longer able to get any supplies. Cutting food and drink back could be due to supply chain issues--that would make far more sense. If it were about safety, then AS would not have been serving any food or drink since the beginning of the year. When you are encouraging people to take mileage runs during a pandemic and serving food and drink over the last few weeks and now today, you are saying it is safety issue, it comes across as very disingenuous.
The situation is changing day to day and hour to hour. If you’re so bitter about CATERING when peoples lives and livelihoods are being severely disrupted, well, I can’t think of anything polite to say...
Mar 21, 2020, 10:38 am
#85
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: British Columbia
Programs: AS MVPG100K, Marriott Marriott Titanium Elite, Hilton Gold
Posts: 7,263
James
Mar 21, 2020, 10:40 am
#86
Join Date: Oct 2005
Programs: Continental
Posts: 1,589
I guess people far wiser than I would say "then fly United."
We're dealing with something that is far more virulent and surviving on surfaces far longer than most viruses, with more severe effect, including the age ranges seriously affected than originally sold to us, while our dear leader remains politically calling it Chinese Virus every day. As much as I'd have seriously disappointed had I flown today for 5+ hours with no F&B to speak of, and no tablet, today is not the day I'd have complained.
The last thing AS needs is to be sued for "serving someone COVID-19." I'm sure AS has been sued, and complained upon many many times by "food poisoned" people that perhaps were poisoned either before or after their flights. I'm not going to opine on anyone's F&B offerings right now. It doesn't mean I wouldn't hate my life flying transcon or similar right now. It means "I get it."
We're dealing with something that is far more virulent and surviving on surfaces far longer than most viruses, with more severe effect, including the age ranges seriously affected than originally sold to us, while our dear leader remains politically calling it Chinese Virus every day. As much as I'd have seriously disappointed had I flown today for 5+ hours with no F&B to speak of, and no tablet, today is not the day I'd have complained.
The last thing AS needs is to be sued for "serving someone COVID-19." I'm sure AS has been sued, and complained upon many many times by "food poisoned" people that perhaps were poisoned either before or after their flights. I'm not going to opine on anyone's F&B offerings right now. It doesn't mean I wouldn't hate my life flying transcon or similar right now. It means "I get it."
Mar 21, 2020, 10:48 am
#88
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: Over the Bay Bridge, CA
Programs: Jumbo mas
Posts: 38,644
Updated as of yesterday. Don't' blame if it isn't accurate today or tomorrow!
Mar 21, 2020, 11:49 am
#90
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: Third planet from the Sun
Posts: 7,022
Get real. This is 100% Alaska trying to save money. You think the ingredients in a packaged salad or a preprepared sandwich are manufactured in the heavens and have only been touched by a sterile robot until the time it gets to you? We all have to take minimal risks every day to survive. If you are charging a healthy premium for a product, you can figure out a way to safely serve food and drink. Otherwise just close off F seats for sale and become Spirit offering big front seats for the first few rows.
Seating people at least 6 feet apart would probably be a better safety measure.
Seating people at least 6 feet apart would probably be a better safety measure.